Saturday round-up: Odegaard, Gabriel, Havertz

Morning all.

Let’s do a quick Saturday round-up, with some bits and pieces for you to read. First, Mikel Arteta has been speaking about Martin Odegaard, his development as a player, and his position as captain. On the latter, he says:

It’s not only about him because he needs to have that role, but that role has to be given as well with the blessing of a team, a group of players that as well believe in him and they are capable and happy to give him that space and that responsibility and give him support.

We were really lucky because we had that with a few of them. And then because it’s a team that individually has unbelievable characters that makes life very easy for you as a captain.

There are still the vestiges of this idea that a captain has be big, brash, and someone who shouts a lot. How many times did you see people bemoan the fact we needed another Tony Adams down the years? As I’ve often said though, captains like that don’t come along very often, they are generally quite singular figures, and their impact lives on for a long time. So when you get another captain who isn’t like that, people can think it’s bad, when in fact it’s just different.

Even if an Adams or Roy Keane type is your preference, they kinda belong to the past, and I’d challenge anyone to cast doubts on Odegaard’s leadership qualities in the modern era. As Arteta says, he has the respect of his teammates, because not only is he an intelligent, technical player around whom much of what we do revolves, he works so hard for the team. These numbers tend not to be available publicly via the stats websites etc, but I’d wager he’s very close to the top of distance covered per game, and the amount of sprints he does as he leads the Arsenal press. When you see your captain putting in the hard yards, even when a game is won, you don’t shirk your own responsibility.

Part of it is the culture Arteta has instilled at the club, but I think there’s a direct connection between how Odegaard works for the team and things like Gabriel and his teammates celebrating a block late in a game that we’re 4 or 5-0 up in. He’s also just an insanely productive player whose craft is essential to what has made Arsenal the highest scoring team in the Premier League this season:

Martin Ødegaard leads all players across Europe's top seven leagues for:

◉ Most open-play chances created (78)
◉ Most successful passes into penalty area (102)
◉ Most passes into penalty area (162)
◉ Most successful through-balls (18)
◉ Most through-balls (34)

Maestrø. pic.twitter.com/YYH3iC1pLM

— Squawka (@Squawka) April 24, 2024

I also just can’t see Odegaard going on some bleached-wanker’s podcast after he’s retired, telling stories about how he refused to travel with his team because things weren’t exactly to his liking. And, that for me, is the true essence of leadership

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There are reports that Arsenal are set to open talks with the aforementioned Gabriel about new terms, and I think that’s a very good idea. Last season began with Thomas Partey at right-back and the Brazilian on the bench, and it was presented to us as a tactical decision when in fact it was down to Saudi Arabian clubs sniffing around and getting some encouragement from the player’s agent. Mikel Arteta might make some odd decisions here and there, but he’s not clinically insane, which is about the only explanation for that set-up – bar something going on behind the scenes. Which is exactly what it was.

His partnership with William Saliba is genuinely excellent, they help bring out the best in each other, and since his arrival in 2020, Gabriel has developed into one of the best central defenders in the Premier League. Perhaps he doesn’t get quite as much credit as he deserves, but imagine going into a big game without him. Exactly. He’s now 26, his best years are ahead of him, and although he did put pen to paper on a new deal in October 2022, he deserves greater parity with some players who have extended their deals subsequently. Make it happen.

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Finally, here’s some interesting reading from Nick Wright on Sky Sports about Kai Havertz and what he has delivered since being played up front. I was never quite as down on him as some, but I will admit there I did have concerns about the signing and what we were going to get from him. Sometimes, like a song you don’t care for when you hear it initially, a player is a bit of a slow burner, and I’ve grown to really like what he does and what he brings to the team.

I also think he’s a great example of how a player can take some time to settle in, and how confidence plays such a big part at this level. Can you imagine August/September Havertz scoring his first goal against Chelsea, for example? No chance. Everything he did back then was timid, laced with apprehension. Now, there’s a decisiveness to everything he does, particularly in how he strikes the ball, and it’s great to see. Let’s hope he can cement his growing reputation with a big performance and a couple of goals in the derby tomorrow.

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Right, that’s your lot. We will have a North London derby preview podcast for you over on Patreon a bit later on this morning, so please do join us for that.

Have a great Saturday folks.

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